The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-09
Evangelical Alliance in Session.
The Rev. Mr.. Dixie Reads a Paper
on "The Perils to the Family"
The Germ of AL Social Institutions
and Their Living Tissue.
Public Schools, as Now Managed,
Promoters of the Social Vice.
Simeon Il, Baldwin Applauds the Work
of the Catholic Churchill Gives
Efficient Help TO tho Alliance
ignorance as an Enemy.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Sat the opening
oi the second morning session OF the con-
ference which is being held under the
auspices Of the Evangelical alliance for the
United States nearly every seat in tho
fist Congregational church was occupied.
After devotional exercises, the presiding
officer, Justice Harlan, OF the United
States supreme court introduced the Rev.
$. W. Dixie, of Aubundale, Mass, who
read a paper on "pcris to the Family"
In the course OF his paper, Mr.. bike
said that the American family is not strong
enough for the strain upon II from our
social condition. Perils threaten in three
PARTICULARS (ll As social production,
our failures with the family are danger
ousy numerous Ia some States five, ten
or twelve pcrc,ulum Of the families formed
annually suffer dissolution in the courts,
Fatal troubles increase this number I'M
chastity corripts many families and crimi-
nal practices render others uniruitiul, lcav-
ing the lower classes to rcplcnish tho
population. Probably all these evils arc
ON the increase. Divorces certainly are.
No christian couqtry, lac said, takes greater
risks from loose marriage aud divorce laws
than the United States. t2) The iunda-
mental place oi the family in society gives
grave significance 10 these pcrils, Historic
ally the family il the germ OF all other
social institutions, aud II is their living
tissue. Weakness here X most dangerous
| CD nisusr oi the family has LEFT il weak
The paper urged the alliance tu secure
closer fellowship between scholars on the
social science, and the clergy whereby tho
latter could get the benefits ol the new
material aud better methods of the former.
Col. j. Green, ul Hartford, Conn, then
Rad a paper ON Tho SoCiib Vice. lle
said that every Kind oi laNlcs.nes. instinct
iNclv recognizes lhr family as a iuc aud
seeks to corrupt aud weaken IL. The ne
production ~ human lie is the highest
function ui which human beings are cnpsi-
! hlc. But NOT unly thc genesis, hut AL that
90 ~ shape and train u arc oi moment.
The speaker named among tho morV dam
gcruus and muW unnoi,cd agencies for
The promotion OF the social vice. a. Tho
! public school With H. inevitable mingling
| II the pur' aud the impurr. WhCru evil
"
/ The White -sNofk is especially needed
herr. t2l The novel against which We 10
not nowadays hear the protest that
w. ought. Pure fiction docs not constitute
| the bulk NJ that published. 4 Nrst num-
/ hHi mad almost nothing oi any sup except
| highly -pirrd impure fiction. ,1I Tho
! sensational, scandal mpnping pres which
| b. the close ally of impure fiction. The
/ ewes ut journalism nrc turned into every
/ corner Mas HAT this wonderful acuncn
/ b. sp hrgrly employed to discover that
| which is poisonous ~ Au in painting,
! sculpture aud music which may and often
] docs dii 4ominltc Impure sug7s stiuns in tho
| most dangerous way of ull li The 81
| loon i another exceedingly fruitful seed
/ bed lpr lhu germs ui Impur'iy. Tho
/ church must do mpv han mcrvly avoid
| anil hold iis skirts from contamination.
/ We must make au aggressive us vel as
/ mpr4 defensive WuTluy. TIE church
| must teach parents and they must teach
/ children Hut IN outside fields that tho
| church cannot rrach, the White Cross
| work can DO much, AMI should be- pushed.
Simeon T.. Baldwin, oi the faculty 'of
| New Haven law school, said hc thought
/ the Grck md Romans, and ancient ma
| tiurs GENERALLY. were Wisc-i In making tho
father ihu priest, lu this respect, ho
| thought the Roman Catholic chur-h does
| hultcr than others "A voice: "l don't
] rurOuiy" 10 us o. christian church at ALL
| "l have found iu work done in Connect.
/ cut in connection With Mr. Dixie, that
/ lhr Catholic churrh has often given us
most efficient help responded Mr..
| Baldwin.
President Dodge ail that the alliance
| has always go oppHtrd heartily with tho
/ Catholic church ior ull that II good, al
| though IL bad bccn Obliged to protest
ln'ut thc ultnm1uilnc attack upon our
public schools
President John Eaton, II Marietta col
lego o., late United states commissioner
%. education, then read paper on "lllit-
rmry. in thc cpuro OF which hc said
ihut. "ilIitcmcy isamclsuu ui Ignorance, q
sign ut darkness an invitation ~ fraud, a
cover tu iniquity llltcmcy Is hostile 10
mans welfare. hIndcr, industry and pros
prfIty. ubsiruCs virtue and impcrils piety.
/ II knowledge b. power, Ignorance Is weak
mess, aud hrcomcs q temptation To per-
yurirl intelligence Ia eleven states tho
imuuni votes u combined, outnumbor
the votes cast ipr either Of The political
parties. aud could control their legislation
and administration, and elect twenty-five
United States senator's and a corresponds
iug number To the national House Of Rep
rrscnlatiycs. How do they every day
commit bribery, perjury, incompctency
and betrayal ul trust Something moro
than eternal vigilance Is required 10 settlo
the vast aud complicated questions before
us and ppeorNc the nice balance Of our
political force The nation nust aid In
the work Uf education. Were there no
illitcutc Indians, Mormons, Chinese or
other foreigners or natives, white or black,
all our great problems would be greatly
slmplhcd.'
President Angel. oi Michigan university,
presided N the afternoon session and in
truluccd President James McCosh, ID. d.,
of Princeton college, who rcad q paper on
"Thc Church IN Relation TO the Capital
and Labor Question
AZ the close Of Dr. Cosh's address, q
cahlcgrum, expressing the sympathy OF tho
councils oi the English Evangelical alli-
uncc, nov In session la London, was Rad
10 the conference.
Hon. seth Low, of Brooklyn, followed
Or. McCosh aud spoke on the same topic.
A general discussion OF the subject iol.
lowed Ia which Rev. A. q. Schade, VI
Cleveland, o., took prominent part